Public Health Buckeyes: Brandon Allmon

My time in the Navy made me realize I wanted to help people on a more face-to-face level. I worked on multiple aircraft that other people flew in support of missions that were necessary, but at times those missions felt worlds away. The feeling that I was helping people didn’t always feel tangible.

Discovering public health gave me a way to continue serving, where the work and its goals felt more grounded. It showed me that I could still contribute to something bigger than myself while seeing how that work could impact people and communities on a local level.

I’ve been increasingly interested in the disaster and emergency preparedness side of environmental health. I believe the work that goes into identifying hazards and risks, preparing for when emergencies happen and figuring out the best ways to respond and protect communities is vital. It ties together many different aspects of public health, with the goal of making a real difference in the communities being served.

It may sound cliché, but I honestly enjoy walking through the doors of Cunz Hall and knowing that I’m surrounded by a like-minded group of people who, at the end of the day, are trying to make the world a better place. Even though we all have different disciplines and interests, I’m proud to be in the presence of every student, instructor and faculty member who calls CPH home.

I can’t speak for every student veteran, because we all have our own stories and goals like everyone else. But there is an unwritten bond between veterans that can be hard to explain to someone who hasn’t served. Our experiences may have been completely different, but there are parts of military life, leaving it behind and figuring out where you fit afterward that another veteran just seems to understand.

As student veterans, we’re starting another chapter of our lives, but we also bring everything we experienced before college into the classroom with us.

I’m currently hoping to land an internship with the Ohio Department of Health, learn everything I can and hopefully see that experience transfer into a full-time position after graduation. As I gain experience in the field, I’d also like to eventually pay it forward to a future undergraduate like me who is just trying to find the right niche for them within the vast possibilities in public health.

There are so many avenues you can take in public health that it can be a little overwhelming, but there are also so many invaluable resources available. My personal experiences with the academic advising and career advising teams has been nothing short of amazing.

Also, apply for scholarships! It’s unbelievably easy — literal minutes of your time can help you secure scholarships you may not have even known you qualified for.